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Ever heard of a peregrine falcon ‘love’ triangle? There’s one in North York

Harlequin lovebirds Quest and Kendal are pictured in this 2012 file photo. Quest, a mature female falcon, has been rubbing beaks with a young male named Skye. Will Kendal survive the heartbreak? (Toronto Star file photo / Jayme Poisson)

Two North York peregrine falcons – a mature female named Quest, 5, and a “teenager’’ of about 2, named Skye, have been getting very chummy since last August, according to volunteers from the Canadian Peregrine Foundation who have been monitoring their movements. (Peregrines have an identifying band put on when they’re chicks, as part of a Ministry of Natural Resources program.)

“There’s quite a little love story going on,’’ says Mark Nash, president of the Canadian Peregrine Foundation.

But no sex yet. While there are cases of peregrine copulation in late October (hormone stimulation depends on periods of sunlight), female fertilization doesn’t happen until March, says Nash.

It may be Skye’s first foray into falcon ‘romance.’ But his partner is more experienced. Quest has been nesting at the same place for the last few years, successfully raising broods of off-white fluffy feathered chicks with her previous mate, Kendal, 4.

They were a devoted couple, until the storms of fate intervened. Literally.

Following a terrible deluge last summer, Kendal was found on the ground with fractures on his wrist and wings. He was immediately taken to Toronto Wildlife Centre and treated and then went to the Canadian Peregrine Foundation Raptor Centre in Woodbridge to continue healing and start rehabilitation. He’s now at the Owl Foundation in Vineland where a larger confinement space will allow him to fly more and exercise his muscles.

Kendal’s ultimate fate is undecided.

He still has to go through a spring moult. And he has to show that he has recovered to the point where he could survive in the wild, says Nash.

Peregrine falcons are the fastest animals on the planet – they can reach speeds of up to 320 km/hour on a dive. Kendal has to be able “to perform like an F16 (jet fighter),” says Nash. But because of his injuries, he has “lost some symmetry...we don’t know yet if he can hunt like a peregrine and keep himself alive as well as hunt for his family.’’

It will eventually be up to the provincial Ministry of Natural Resources to “make the call’’ as to whether Kendal will be released to the wild. If not, he could be sent to a sanctuary or possibly euthanized, if deemed unsuitable to living in captivity. Some wild peregrines just can’t adapt and it creates huge stress for them, he said.

However, if Kendal is released next spring, there’s likely some drama ahead.

“The first thing he’s going to do is come back to the nest,’’ says Nash. That will mean some sort of clash with Skye — in those situations the female generally hangs back and the “males work it out.’’

Sometimes, these altercations do result in the death of one bird. The Canadian Peregrine Foundation will know if Kendal is released to the wild and will monitor the nest.

Quest did show signs of distress after Kendal disappeared, says Nash.

And generally, peregrines will mate for life. But when one bird in a couple dies, the one left behind will often accept a new mate.

That seems to be the case here.

Although Skye is ahead in the courtship game with Quest, it’s still not a done deal, says Nash. Skye will have to clearly demonstrate “that he can protect his territory...chase away all competitors’’ as well as prove his hunting prowess. Nesting pairs stay in Toronto all year, but young unattached peregrines migrate south before winter and then come back towards spring.

Correction - February 8, 2015: The second photo in the slideshow was taken by photographer Billy Zee. The previous version omitted the photo credit.

Older, comely female. Young male, eager to get to know her better.

Two North York peregrine falcons – a mature female named Quest, 5, and a “teenager’’ of about 2, named Skye, have been getting very chummy since last August, according to volunteers from the Canadian Peregrine Foundation who have been monitoring their movements. (Peregrines have an identifying band put on when they’re chicks, as part of a Ministry of Natural Resources program.)

“There’s quite a little love story going on,’’ says Mark Nash, president of the Canadian Peregrine Foundation.

But no sex yet. While there are cases of peregrine copulation in late October (hormone stimulation depends on periods of sunlight), female fertilization doesn’t happen until March, says Nash.

It may be Skye’s first foray into falcon ‘romance.’ But his partner is more experienced. Quest has been nesting at the same place for the last few years, successfully raising broods of off-white fluffy feathered chicks with her previous mate, Kendal, 4.

They were a devoted couple, until the storms of fate intervened. Literally.

Following a terrible deluge last summer, Kendal was found on the ground with fractures on his wrist and wings. He was immediately taken to Toronto Wildlife Centre and treated and then went to the Canadian Peregrine Foundation Raptor Centre in Woodbridge to continue healing and start rehabilitation. He’s now at the Owl Foundation in Vineland where a larger confinement space will allow him to fly more and exercise his muscles.

Kendal’s ultimate fate is undecided.

He still has to go through a spring moult. And he has to show that he has recovered to the point where he could survive in the wild, says Nash.

Peregrine falcons are the fastest animals on the planet – they can reach speeds of up to 320 km/hour on a dive. Kendal has to be able “to perform like an F16 (jet fighter),” says Nash. But because of his injuries, he has “lost some symmetry...we don’t know yet if he can hunt like a peregrine and keep himself alive as well as hunt for his family.’’

It will eventually be up to the provincial Ministry of Natural Resources to “make the call’’ as to whether Kendal will be released to the wild. If not, he could be sent to a sanctuary or possibly euthanized, if deemed unsuitable to living in captivity. Some wild peregrines just can’t adapt and it creates huge stress for them, he said.

However, if Kendal is released next spring, there’s likely some drama ahead.

“The first thing he’s going to do is come back to the nest,’’ says Nash. That will mean some sort of clash with Skye — in those situations the female generally hangs back and the “males work it out.’’

Sometimes, these altercations do result in the death of one bird. The Canadian Peregrine Foundation will know if Kendal is released to the wild and will monitor the nest.

Quest did show signs of distress after Kendal disappeared, says Nash.

And generally, peregrines will mate for life. But when one bird in a couple dies, the one left behind will often accept a new mate.

That seems to be the case here.

Although Skye is ahead in the courtship game with Quest, it’s still not a done deal, says Nash. Skye will have to clearly demonstrate “that he can protect his territory...chase away all competitors’’ as well as prove his hunting prowess. Nesting pairs stay in Toronto all year, but young unattached peregrines migrate south before winter and then come back towards spring.

Correction - February 8, 2015: The second photo in the slideshow was taken by photographer Billy Zee. The previous version omitted the photo credit.

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